List by Jim S.
It’s the first month of 2015! Traditionally the most quiet month for new game releases, January 2015 isn’t really any different, which is a good thing since it will give people a chance to knock off some of the backlog from last year.
With that being said, if you are on the lookout for a new game to play, then January has a couple of titles worth keeping an eye out for. There’s a sweeping Pirate RPG on the way, two large open world games, and a new Hyperdimension Neptunia JRPG, which is always cause for celebration. Oh, and there’s a new Warriors game due for release later in the year, and that’s sure to last you a while.
So January, 2015, is very much a case of quality over quantity, but in our estimation it’s a great start to the year.
Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell – PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, also available Saints Row IV: Re-Elected + Gat out of Hell for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One – Release Date 20/01/2015
Gat Out of Hell is a stand-alone add on for Saints Row IV that will take players to hell while playing as either Johnny Gat or Kinzie Kensington. Saints Row fans will be most excited because for the first time ever this game will feature 2-player online co-op. Players with a Playstation 4 and Xbox One, meanwhile, will get to experience updated visuals and get to play all of Saints Row IV’s DLC as it is all brought together into a single package. The PlayStation 4 version will also have Remote Play for people that want to play the game on their Vitas as well.
Dying Light – PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC – Release Date 27/01/2015
The developers of Dead Island, Techland, are back, releasing another zombie survival game in Dying Light. That being said this game will be a very different experience to Dead Island. During the day characters will be able to roam about an open world to scavenge for supplies and weapons, but as night falls the zombies will ‘wake up’ and become more aggressive. Sounds like a job for Will Smith. Dying Light will use a free running movement system that will allow characters to run swiftly through the world, and will be the first game powered by Chrome Engine 6, Techland’s proprietary technology that was designed from the ground up for the new consoles.
Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth2: Sisters Generation – PlayStation Vita – Release Date 27/01/2015
Like Re;Birth1 before it, Re;Birth2 is a a complete remake of Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 that was originally released on the PlayStation 3. It comes complete with a revamped battle system, which is a good thing since the original games were targeted with some criticism for their combat systems. Re;Birth2 will also have new playable characters and both English & Japanese in-game voice overs. Unashamedly otaku in nature, these games are nonetheless worth a look, because they are much smarter than most people give them credit for.
Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires – PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC – Release Date 27/01/2015
It wouldn’t be a new year for gaming without the first Warriors game from Koei’s venerable franchise. Empires is an interesting sub-series, combining some light strategy and empire building features to go with the on-field battle action. As a somewhat more cerebral experience, it’s actually compelling stuff, and as with all Warriors games you can expect it to be absolutely loaded with content.
Raven’s Cry – PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC – Release Date 28/01/2015
Coming to us from the folks that produced the underrated B-grade Two Worlds franchise last generation, Raven’s Cry has a lot going for it, promising a dark and brutal pirate adventure. A little like that Black Sails TV series, we figure. We’re going to guess that Raven’s Cry is a B-grade production and hardly up to the standards of Dragon Age: Inquisition, but as we saw with Bound by Flame, these games can still be good fun, and hey, we’ve still got a while to wait for The Witcher 3, so why not, right?
Heroes of Might & Magic III – PC, iPad – Release Date 29/01/2015
Last year in January Ubisoft unleashed on us the excellent Might & Magic X to kick start what was a very good year for games indeed. This year the publisher is dipping into its back catalogue to bring us a HD remastered version of the very finest Heroes of Might & Magic game ever produced. With this series you’re getting a mix of RPG and turn based strategy action, all wrapped up in a wonderful fantasy world. We’re looking forward to this one a great deal.
– Jim S.
Contributor
